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Defending European champions Liverpool faced defeat in the first Champions League game of the season away from home. It was a hot night in the San Paolo stadium as Napoli came out victorious by two goals to nil.
Liverpool had played Napoli last season in the group stages and lost 1-0 away to a Lorenzo Insigne goal. They were defeated yet again yesterday, with both goals coming in the latter stages of the game.
At the 80-minute mark, Andrew Robertson was judged by the referee and VAR to have brought down Jose Callejon in the box. Dries Mertens converted the resulting penalty to give Napoli the lead.
The Italian side put the final nail in the coffin in the 92nd minute when Virgil van Dijk played a short pass to his goalkeeper under pressure. Fernando Llorente capitalized by poking the ball past Adrian.
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Without further ado, let us look at 5 talking points from the match.
#1 Lapses in concentration led to Liverpool’s downfall
Although Liverpool seemed comfortable throughout the match and equal to Napoli in the attacking sense, they fell apart towards the end of the game.
Callejon beat Robertson for pace and the Scotsman seemed to have no choice but to cut him down with his leg. The referee pointed to the penalty spot immediately and VAR confirmed the decision.
The penalty changed the dynamic of the game. Napoli’s home supporters were more raucous and the Serie A side looked more eager to see out the match.
This was evident when two Napoli players closed down Van Dijk in the box. The Dutchman committed a rare mistake under pressure, and gifted the ball to Llorente.
The former Tottenham player was able to get his revenge for the Champions League final last season when his shot went past Adrian and into the net.
#2 Liverpool’s attacking trio misfiring
None of Liverpool’s front three were able to find the net in this match, even though they had several chances.
In the first half, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino had the best chances for their side. At the 21-minute mark, Mane fired a shot straight at Napoli’s keeper after a lob pass from Jordan Henderson. Right before the whistle, Firmino missed a golden chance when his header from a corner glanced past the post.
The trio did not link well with each other, which was out of the norm. At one point, there was a 2 vs 1 situation in Napoli’s half with Mane and Mohamed Salah. But the Senegal international overhit the final pass and the counterattack fizzed out.
In the game against Burnley in the Premier League, Mane was visibly annoyed when Salah did not pass to his teammates and went for goal himself. It was quite ironic that Mane was unable to find the killer pass this time round.
#3 Koulibaly won the battle of the defenders
All eyes were on Virgil van Dijk and Kalidou Koulibaly tonight. They are considered to be two of the best defenders in the world.
Both players had impressive matches. Van Dijk was an imposing presence in the back four and snuffed out Napoli’s attacks with crucial tackles and blocks. However, his mistake in the dying moments of the game tainted the good work he had done before, and allowed the Italian club to finish off the game.
On the other hand, Koulibaly produced an almost perfect performance. It is not often that a defender draws loud cheers and applause from the crowd due to a tackle; the Senegalese effectively took Salah out of the game with a mixture of standing and slide tackles. He used his strength to retain possession for his side.
Koulibaly was also adventurous in attack, driving forward with the ball at some points. He played direct passes to midfield players or out wide to the wingers.
Koulibaly's versatility was on full display, and that versatility is the reason why many clubs, including Manchester United, were tracking him in the summer. Overall, Koulibaly outshone Van Dijk in this match with a solid performance.
#4 Ancelotti’s tactics on point
It is safe to say that Carlo Ancelotti has plenty of experience in European football with three Champions League titles under his belt. This match was his 161st Champions League game in charge, only behind Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson.
Ancelotti set up his team in a 4-4-2 formation, with Dries Mertens and Hirving Lozano as the centre-forwards providing a threat in the box. Jose Callejon and Lorenzo Insigne were given freedom out wide, either by roaming inside or hugging the widths to deliver a cross.
Fabian Ruiz was the creative force while Allan provided steel in midfield. Mario Rui was the attacking full back providing crosses into the box while Giovanni di Lorenzo was the third man behind in defence. Koulibaly was a rock in defence alongside his partner Kostas Manolas.
The team was fluid, as it started from a 4-4-2 while defending. Liverpool were unable to break down this rigid structure.
When Napoli won the ball, they attacked quickly, playing one-touch passes between players. The formation then changed to a 4-2-4, which was much more direct and aggressive.
This drive paid dividends as the hosts picked up on Liverpool errors and scored goals within 10 minutes towards the end of the match. Without a doubt, this was a masterclass from Ancelotti.
#5 Both goalkeepers were impressive
Adrian of Liverpool and Alex Meret of Napoli made some incredible saves to ensure that the match was not high-scoring. In the seventh minute, Adrian had to make two saves in quick succession, with both shots from Ruiz coming in at his near post.
The Spanish goalkeeper made arguably the best stop of the match in the 50th minute. Rui floated in a first-time cross from the left to Dries Mertens at the far post. The Belgian hit the ball on the volley and Adrian was able to stick out his right arm and push the ball over the bar.
On the other side of the pitch, Meret the young goalkeeper also put in a good shift. The 22-year-old was called to action after Mane fired a fierce shot at him in the first half. The goalkeeper stood his ground well.
He made a fingertip save in the 65th minute when Mohamed Salah struck the ball with his favoured left foot on the turn. All in all, both goalkeepers deserve pats on the back for keeping their sides in contention.
